Which Homesteading Chickens That Lay Colored Eggs

Chickens can lay different colors of eggs. You can see those with white, brown, pink, blue and other colors. The egg color depends on the breeds of the hen. Other factors such as availability of cold water and exposure to sunlight can also affect the coloration. Except for the blue eggs which have the same shade inside, other eggs have only colored shells. The albumen of these eggs has white colors.

The coloring of eggs takes place internally during their formation. It takes 20 hours for the inner part of an egg to develop. The egg shell takes extra 5 hours to form around the egg. The dyeing process occurs during this period. Each hen possesses a pigment that colors the egg shells. A hen that has brown pigment will always lay brown eggs. Besides, some breeds possess both brown and blue pigments.

Hens will only lay the same color of eggs throughout their lifetime. However, environmental factors can interfere with the colors. Prolonged exposure to the sunshine without cold water or appropriate shade can bleach a hen’s eggs. If the eggs have lighter color when the external conditions are favorable, then check the birds for mites. Parasite infestation can also bleach eggs.

If you fancy colored eggs, keep chicken breeds with various pigments. Then, the hens will produce eggs with different colors.

Jersey Giants, Buffs, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, Dominique, Cochin, Golden Comet, Brahma, Delaware, Buckeye, Jersey Giant, Chantecler, New Hampshire Red, Java – “Brown Eggs”

Leghorns, Silkies, Hamburgs, Sebrights, Polish, Lakenvelders, Minorcas, Andalusians – “White Eggs”

Aracauna, Crème Legbars, Ameraucanas – “Blue Eggs”

Easter Eggers – “Green, Pink or Blue Eggs”

Cuckoo Marans, Blue Copper Marans, Barnevelders, French Black Copper Maran, Welsummer, Kuckoo Maran – Dark Chocolate Colored eggs

Wyandottes – “Light Pink-Brown Eggs”

Buff Orphington, Sussex, Ayam Cemani Chicken – “Light Brown Eggs”

Wyandottes, Faverolles, Dorkings, Buff Orpingtons, Some Easter Eggers – “Light Tan Eggs”

Olive Eggers, Some Easter Eggers – “Green Eggs”

Australorps (some), Easter Eggers (some), Langshan, Plymouth Rock, Asil, Barred Rock, Light Sussex – “Pinkish Eggs”

Cuckoo Marans, Welsummers – “Speckled Eggs”